One particularly successful snow guard having a gem-like appearance and made of plastic and usually of colored plastic is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,901,507 and 5,471,700 to Smeja, et al. The present invention is not limited to this particular shape or kind of snow guard but is applicable to various other shapes and kinds of snow guards. The particular shapes and kinds of snow guards illustrated and described herein are the preferred embodiments of the invention and are merely exemplary.
The snow guards shown in the aforesaid patents have been very successful from a commercial standpoint and were made in plastic of different colors. This snow guard was not only purchased and installed because of its functional capabilities, but is also purchased and installed as a medallion in warm climates only because decorative and esthetic appeal on a building. There is a need to provide a similar shape of snow guard but in metal where the architect or building proprietor wants a particular color and material. Often, it is desired to make the snow guards of the same material as the roof, so that the snow guards blend in with the roof of the same color and same material. Although the plastic molded snow guards may be colored to have the appearance of copper for a copper metal roof, a gold appearance for a gold roof, a green appearance for a green metal roof, etc., the snow guards being made of plastic rather will still have a noticeable look of being made of a different material and often with a slight variation in color. Of course, some will want contrasting or accenting colors of snow guards for their roofs. Whatever the reason, there is a reason for making snow guards from flat metal sheets such as copper, stainless steel, terne metal, galbanum, zinc coated steel, lead coated copper, etc. In other instances, the metal sheets may have a color coating on the surface of metal sheet which is colored to meet an owner's desire for a slate roof, a shingle roof or a metal roof.
When making folded metal snow guards, the aesthetics are important for such a highly visible product. While the product could be folded from a single sheet or several metal sheets and joined together, it is preferred that the product appear substantially seamless or with a minimum of visible seams in the installed position. Further, because some of the metal sheets are expensive, it is preferred that the construction be made without excessive scrap waste. Usually, the sheet metal will be stamped with holes therein and with irregular shapes on the side edges for panel edges that are to be erected. This lends to the formation of scrap. Also, where the sheet is coated as with a color, it is less expensive to make a sheet colored on one side rather than two sides and to fold the sheet to form the snow guard with only the one-coated side being visible.
Typically, snow guards are fastened to roofs with fasteners such as screws or nails, with adhesives, or with solder when securing a metal snow guard to a metal roof. The typical solder operation of a worker applying solder and flux and heating them to liquify the solder and to form the solder connection is time consuming and expensive. That is, the installer will have a roll of solder wire and a flux material and he will lay the flux and the solder against an upper edge or underneath the upper edge of the snow guard inclined on the roof to heat the roof, the snow guard edge, the flux and the solder with a propane torch to melt or liquify the solder and bring the metal of the snow guard and roof to the temperature necessary for soldering together. Although the upper side edges of the snow guard may be soldered, the lower edges and the bottom edge of the snow guard may not be soldered or soldered only with extreme care to avoid running of solder along the roof surface below the snow guard. Good soldering technique is a difficult task to learn in that one really needs three hands with one hand to hold the snow guard in place on an inclined roof, a second hand to hold the solder, and a third hand to apply the flux. If too little solder is applied, a good connection to the roof is not attained. If too much solder or flux is applied, it will run down the expensive metal roof and mar its appearance. There is no good or easy way to remove any solder streaks from the metal roof without affecting its appearance.
Also, it is necessary to apply high temperature heat, e.g., 500°-600° F. from a torch to the snow guard to melt the underlying solder at about 370°-390° F. The snow guard will become so hot that the person doing the soldering cannot hold the snow guard in position while it is being soldered. If insufficient heat is applied and a weak, cold solder joint will be made between the snow guard and the roof. Thus, today commercial installers of snow guards attach them to the roof with fasteners or adhesives because of the difficulties in applying the right amount of solder, heat and a good soldering technique.
Thus, there is a need for a new method of attaching metal snow guards to metal roofs. Also, there is a need for new and improved snow guards.